What’s a truck between friends? When: Present Rating: Low Status: Complete
I’m on the edge of glory..
Ronnie approached Hutchin’s automotive.
He set aside his own fear to walk the little bit to the auto shop with a large paper bag in hand. It was around lunch time. He hoped he wasn’t too late.
Through an open bag door the short man wandered searching for his friend. Mikey told him Tal had asked about him - Ron had been too scared to reach out and so this visit was a surprise apology and a question.
A glance up at a suspended vehicle, he winced at the peal of an air gun going pew pew, pew. But the sound died out as quickly as it had come.
He hoped his friend was doing alright; there was a lot he had missed in three weeks and it felt right to start inside and work his way out.
Tal had occupied most of his mind with what he usually did - work. But there was a corner for his boyfriend Roman and lately a large worried area for Ron. Was he okay? Would someone find him safe? Would he come home?
Today he had an engine suspended by his work table. With grease up to his elbows, Tal had his work coveralls tied around his waist. Oftentimes, he forgot about lunch.
Then he heard some footsteps that didn’t belong to co-workers or James. He grabbed a shop towel and began to wipe off his arms as hands as he turned and stood. The peek of curly dark hair caught his eye and he hurried to remove the grease. Tal slowly walked to the end of the vehicle and stood. He didn’t want to startle his friend, especially with what Mikey told him.
As his friend came into view, Ronnie beamed and offered an enthusiastic wave. “Hey dude! Sorry I didn’t text you - Mikey said you were askin. Hope that’s okay. I brought you something to make up for it.”
The brown paper bag would be lifted and extended out in an offering. He wasn’t sure what time Tal went to lunch or had a break, but whatever was inside of the bag would keep for a while regardless.
“You been okay?” He hated playing catch-up but he’d been gone so long he felt like he’d missed everything.
“Hey,” Tal echoed back. A smile began at his eyes, happy to see that his friend was okay. At least he looked and sounded okay. “Yeah, thought you’d fallen off the edge of the Earth.” He offered as he walked over to Ronnie. “Oh?
“Mmm, yeah. Good days, bad days.” Tal then leaned over a little and wrapped his arms around the other man. Not too tight, not too loose. Just protective.
“Pretty much like that,” Ronnie laughed. He made a face, then shrugged. “Better now though. Much better.” It was as if he had a tether to Searchlight for as many times as he’d run off only to find his way back.
The bag with lunch would be set safely down and then Ronnie found himself wound up in a welcomed embrace. He returned the hug. Hugs are the best.
“I’m glad you’re better,” Tal whispered as he embraced Ronnie. He was so worried about his best friend. He didn’t know what he’d do if something happened. Well, something did, but Ronnie was back home.
Gently squeezing Ronnie, Tal let go of him. “Come on. Let’s go to the break area. I want to see what’s in the bag.” The smile tugged at his lips.
“Me too, man.” The situation had not changed but he certainly was better being around the people he loved. The quiet was good quiet, and here the loud was commingled with the noises of friends and family.
He pulled back and nodded, sweeping the bag up. With pride he offered it to Tal, “Let’s do it “
Nodding, Tal let Ronnie out of the noisy and dirty maintenance bays and into the break room. It was full of light from the glass doors and the glass wall that faced the street. He pulled the door behind them to muffle some of the noises.
“Would you like something to drink?” he asked as he pulled the chairs out from the small table. The taller man moved to grab a bottle of water from the fridge. Tal subtly watched Ronnie, hoping there weren’t any loud noises.
“Nah, I’m good. But thanks!” He was walking home and decided that a drink now would mean a more burdensome trip later. It wasn’t a far trek, though it did carry the weight of the anonymous person following him. But the paranoia had been worth the trip to see his friend.
Ronnie settled down at the little table.
He was curious what break rooms and lounge areas looked like in certain places; this was a place he had never been in and yet found it suitable in the illustration of what he supposed he thought it would be like.
“Okay,” Tal grinned and circled around the table to sit in the other chair. “I’m glad you paid me a visit,” he added as he reached over for the bag. The last time the muscular man had spent a good amount of time in this room was when he’d been too kind-hearted to what he thought was a harmless and down-on-their-luck motorist, but turned out to be a vampire. And Tal had gotten back here and James was patching him up.
“I didn’t hear your truck. Do I need to take a look at it?”
“Me too, man. I’ve missed everyone. Sucked being away like that.” Ronnie thrived on the people he cared about. He didn’t have an inner circle and an outer circle, they were all equal in importance to him. Tal included. He pointed at the bag, “That is a new sandwich I’m working on. Full of meat and stuff. Cool bread, killer sauce. Hope you like it. Made the chips myself.”
Cooking was one of the few, simple ways he gave back to the people he cared for. It hadn’t failed him yet, anyway.
At the mention of his truck Ronnie shook his head, “Nah. I had to leave it where I was. Derek came to get me, brought me back. Wasn’t safe to drive myself. Hopefully it hasn’t been towed by now.” He had run off with the coffee maker and someone was bound to notice by now.
“But you’re back and that’s good,” Tal nodded decisively. He only had a small handful of friends - some he trusted in different ways. “Ooo, sounds good. Can I rip open the bag and use it as a plate or do you have plans for the bag?”
“Oh, okay. Maybe after I finish off your latest work of food art, we can talk about going and getting your truck. Mmph, better not have been towed. Then...I need to thank Derek.”
Ronnie laughed at the idea of Tal tearing open like an eager child at Christmas time. “Have fun, man. No plans for that bag.” Thankfully he wasn’t the type to fret about bags or aluminum foil wrappers.
He hadn’t told Tal to get the guy to take him but he smiled wider, “Yeah? You don’t have to do that, man. I don’t wanna take up all of your time.” It was going to be a trip.
“Okay,” Tal nodded with a twinkle in his eyes and ripped open the bag and peeled it back to make a leaf-like plate for the sandwich and chips. A laugh left his lips as he took in the lovely sight and the smells. “Ronnie, this looks soooo good.”
“Yeah. I need to get out of the shop and you’re my best friend. I want to get you back to good.” He replied and then picked up the sandwich. Not being too sloppy, Tal ate a bite and smiled. “This...is really good!”
“I am?” He felt a swell of pride. He’d been Derek’s best friend for a decade - it felt oddly comforting to know he could give that same feeling to someone else. And then his grin widened.
“Glad you like it! Been trying to think of stuff for my food truck menu. I have a lot of food guinea pigs if I need them.” He didn’t know one person who would turn down free food.
“And thanks for being a good friend, Tal. We can get the truck whenever.”
Smiling ear to ear, Tal nodded and sipped his water before eating one of the chips. Ron was someone he could be comfortable with from the moment they met.
“Nice! Bring on more of it. This is good.” He smirked and continued to eat the sandwich, moving then on to the chips.
“You’re welcome. Whenever you like.”
He offered a humble smile. “Cool man, glad you like it. Really. I’m trying to work on good stuff that’s sort of representative of the people I like. You know, like a Tal sandwich. That probably sounds crazy,” he laughed, “but that’s the idea.”
As far as the journey, he simply didn’t care when they went. It was going to take a while to get there and he didn’t feel comfortable pulling Tal out of the middle of something. If the truck got towed, he’d get it out. Worst case, he would get a whole new one.
The chips were so good - lightly salted, savory. He could eat these every day. “Ooo. Nah, sounds cool. Have a hearty dish named after James. It’s a good idea.”
It wasn’t long before Tal finished the chips and emptied his bottle of water. “I haven’t gone on a towing run in a while. The guys can watch the shop. Have you been in a tow truck cab?”
Ronnie tried to think if he had; it was probable. While he didn’t break down a lot, he’d had a vehicle towed a time or two in his life. “Not the one you drive,” he offered, laughing a bit. “Sounds like fun.” Too bad he couldn’t share the road trip playlist but maybe they could start one of their own. His little burner phone didn’t do the fancy stuff.
A quick text to Mikey would let his boyfriend know where he was going, with who, and when he expected to be back.
Wiping his mouth with a paper towel, Tal nodded. “I can scare off any other guys thinking they’ve got any tows. Some of those guys are in it for the money.” He gathered up the trash and recyclables, got up, put them away, and washed his hands at the sink.
“Let me go tell the guys and we can be off.”
Another laugh, “Oh I bet you can. I have a feeling people don’t try messing with you.” Tal we’d not a small person. He was a kind person, very thoughtful, but much larger in bulk than most other people he knew. That could be intimidating in the right circumstance.
Ronnie moved to get up. He stretched, stuffed the little red flip phone into a tight pocket and waited for Tal to finish business there. Tal smiled and left the room to tell the other mechanics where he was going and to pick up the tow truck keys. His phone was in his pocket and he pulled his coveralls on, zipping them up.
Returning, he nodded, “Do we need to pick up provisions?” Tal walked over to Ron. Yes, he was a big guy - often he forgot just how big he was. The skinny kid from twenty years ago was still roaming around his mind and posture.
“Road snacks?” He nodded, grinning, “Oh yeah, gonna need plenty of those.” A stop at the gas station should suffice - they could go in together and stock up. While he trusted Tal, he wasn’t comfortable being on his own out in public. He had to learn to let go of the paranoia and also the fear that his loved ones were in constant jeopardy.
Yes! Protein, sugar. Gummy stuff to chew on.” He smiled and gently patted Ron on the shoulder. Tal knew quite a few places in any direction. Jingling the keys, Tal opened the door that led out to the side area where the tow truck waited. He’d look out for his friend, protect him. No one better frighten or hurt Ron.
With a renewed sense of confidence - and a bit of amusement at the prospect ahead - he left the break room and set out with Tal on the next leg of the journey ahead.